FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEWS RELEASE
May 18, 2018
Steve Marshall
For More Information, contact:
Mike Lewis (334) 353-2199
Alabama Attorney General
Joy Patterson (334) 242-7491
Page 1 of 1
AG MARSHALL ANNOUNCES ARRESTS OF STUDENT,
TEACHER, FOR FELONY COMPUTER TAMPERING BY
ALTERING GRADES AT SCHOOL IN ESCAMBIA COUNTY
(MONTGOMERY)–Attorney General Steve Marshall announced the arrests
this week of a student and a teacher in Escambia County, each on a felony charge of
computer tampering by altering grades at W.S. Neal High School in East Brewton.
Matthew Hutchins, 18, of Brewton was arrested on May 14, and Lisa Odom, 58, of
Castleberry was arrested on May 15.
The defendants were arrested by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office
pursuant to warrants brought by Special Agents of the Attorney General’s Office.
The Attorney General’s Office Cybercrime Unit initiated an investigation after being
notified by local officials on May 11 that grades had been altered through the
school’s INow computer system. Prosecution will be handled by the Attorney
General’s Criminal Trials Division.
Attorney General Marshall thanked the Alabama State Department of
Education, the Escambia County Board of Education, the 21st Circuit District
Attorney’s Office and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office for their continued
assistance in this matter.
If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum penalty of one to 10 years for
the charge, which is a class C felony.
Due to an ongoing investigation, no further information about the
investigation or about the defendants’ alleged crimes will be released at this time.
*A warrant is merely an accusation. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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501 Washington Avenue * Montgomery, AL 36104 * (334) 242-7300
www.ago.state.al.us
